diff --git a/src/lib/internal.h b/src/lib/internal.h
index 5a830dc5b..5a7cc9c5e 100644
--- a/src/lib/internal.h
+++ b/src/lib/internal.h
@@ -726,6 +726,7 @@ destroy_tam(ncplane* p){
   if(p->tam){
     cleanup_tam(p->tam, p->leny, p->lenx);
     free(p->tam);
+    p->tam = NULL;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/notcurses.c b/src/lib/notcurses.c
index 283457adf..0c8a0b38d 100644
--- a/src/lib/notcurses.c
+++ b/src/lib/notcurses.c
@@ -2170,6 +2170,7 @@ void ncplane_erase(ncplane* n){
   loginfo("erasing plane\n");
   if(n->sprite){
     sprixel_hide(n->sprite);
+    destroy_tam(n);
   }
   // we must preserve the background, but a pure nccell_duplicate() would be
   // wiped out by the egcpool_dump(). do a duplication (to get the stylemask